Process for non-destructive radiation degradation of polytetrafluoroethylene

ABSTRACT

Solid polytetrafluoroethylene, sintered or unsintered, is degraded non-destructively by irradiation at a dosage level in the range of from about 5 megarads to about 25 megarads. The irradiated polytetrafluoroethylene is readily comminuted and exhibits the characteristic low coefficeint of friction of polytetrafluoroethylene.

United States Patent [191 Dillon PROCESS FOR NON-DESTRUCTIVE RADIATION DEGRADATION OF POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE [75] Inventor: Joseph A. Dillon, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Garlock, Inc., Palmyra, NY. [22] Filed: Apr. 10, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 242,864

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 39,894, May 22, 1970.

[52] US. Cl. 204/159.2, 260/92.l [51] Int. Cl. C0811 1/00, C08f 1/16 [58] Field of Search 204/1592;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,936,301 5/1960 Thomas et a1. 260/921 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 829,503 3/1960 Great Britain Oct. 16, 1973 OTHER PUBLICATION S Ryan, Radiation of Polytetrafluoroethylene, Modern Plastics, Vol. 31, p. 152 (1954).

' Chapiro, Radiation Chemistry of Polymeric Systems,

J. Wiley & Sons, New York, pp. 526-533, (1962).

Primary Examiner-John C, Bleutge Assistant Examiner-Richard B. Turer Attorney-E. Arthur Thompson [5 7] ABSTRACT Solid polytetrafluoroethylene, sintered or unsintered,

3 Claims, No Drawings PROCESS FOR NON-DESTIRU'C'IWE RADIATION DEGRADATION 01F POLYTIETRAIFLIJOROIETEIYLIENIE This is a X Continuation, of application Ser. No. 39,894 filed May 22, 1970 now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a process for rendering solid polytetrafluoroethylene readily comminutable, and the product of such process.

2. Description of the Prior Art Polytetrafluoroethylene is a white thermoplastic powder having a melting point of 621F. This material is characterized by high service temperature, chemical inertness, excellent electrical properties and a low coefficient of friction. However, as supplied by the manufacturer this material tends to agglomerate, and must be sintered at at least 621F during fabrication. For example, Type 7 polytetrafluoroethylene powder is gen erally preformed under pressure into a desired shape, and free sintered in an oven normally at a temperature in the range of from about 700F to about 750F. Type 1, and 9 powders are preformed under pressure and sintered under pressure normally at a temperature in the range of from about 650F to about 750F. Type 6 powder is blended with a lubricant such as naphtha or the like, preformed, extruded into a desired shape under high pressure, lubricant evaporated and then sintered normally at a temperature in the range of from about 700F to about 1,200F. None of these sintered materials can be readily comminuted into fine particles. For example, sintered polytetrafluoroethylene can only be reduced by high impact pulverization to the size range of from 100 to 200 mesh (149 to 74 microns), and this accomplished only with the associated use of coolants such as liquid carbon dioxide or liquid nitrogen.

U. S. Pat. No. 3,432,511 describes a process of degrading sintered and unsintered polytetrafluoroethylene, involving heating the polymer to a temperature above the normal sintering range thereof, and as high as 880F. Since special ventilation procedures are required whenever polytetrafluoroethylene is heated above 400F, and since temperatures above the sintering range may cause discoloration of the normally white material, it is desirable to provide a method for degrading sintered and unsintered polytetrafluoroethylene without the application of heat, whereby a finely divided particulate polytetrafluoroethylene may be produced which is readily dispersible and does not tend to agglomerate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It has now been unexpectedly discovered that the application of a critical dose of ionizing radiation to sintered or unsintered polytetrafluoroethylene renders such material capable of being comminuted to microfineness with no adverse heat side effects, and the resulting particles are readily dispersible in diverse media. Such particles possess the extremely low coefficient of friction associated with polytetrafluoroethylene resin. The dosage level of ionizing radiation in accordance with the process of this invention lies within the range of from about 5 megarads to about 25 megarads, and is preferably maintained between about 10 megarads and 25 megarads.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Polytetra- Contact Average fluoro- Time Dosage Particle Size Example ethylene (sec.) (mega- (Microns) rads) l Unsintered 2.5 5 ll.l 2 Unsintered 5.0 10 5.3 3 Unsintered 7.5 15 2.5 4 Unsintered 10.0 20 1.5 5 Sintered scrap 12.5 25 0.90

By Fisher Sub Sieve Sizer ASTM B-330 During the processing in accordance with Examples l-5, the temperature of the polytetrafluoroethylene does not rise above about 250F, and there is virtually no discoloration of the product. All such products have the following typical properties:

Color White or gray Bulk density 25 lbs/ft (D-l457-62T) Specific gravity 2.10-2.15 (D-792-T) Hardness (Durometer D) 50-65 (D-l706-59T) Coefficient of Linear Expansion Per F. 73F. 5.5 X l0 in. (D-696-44) Dielectric Strength 500-1500 V/mil (D-l49-55T) Water Absorption None (D-570-54T) Flammability Non-flammable (D-635-56T) Static or Kinetic Coeff. of Friction 0.04 0.15

Melting Point 61062lF Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a process for producing microfine polytetrafluoroethylene powder which is readily dispersible and has a coefficient of friction in the range of from 0.04 to 0.15, the steps which comprise:

l. exposing a sintered polytetrafluoroethylene, which can not be readily comminuted, to ionizing radiation at a dosage level within the range of from about 5 megarads to about 25 megarads, whereby the temperature of the exposed compound is maintained below about 250F during said exposure,

2. comminuting the product of step (1), and

3. recovering as a product microfine polytetrafluoroethylene which has a coefficient of friction in the range of from 0.04 to 0.15.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the dosage level is within the range of from about 10 megarads to about 25 megarads.

3. The product of the process of claim 1. 

2. comminuting the product of step (1), and
 2. The process of claim 1 wherein the dosage level is within the range of from about 10 megarads to about 25 megarads.
 3. The product of the process of claim
 1. 3. recovering as a product microfine polytetrafluoroethylene which has a coefficient of friction in the range of from 0.04 to 0.15. 